Worth the Trouble | Dhani, Stitches, Mercy [Storm Event]
Dhani had lost track of time, but it was getting dark. Laying face down in the woods at least stopped others from harming him for now, it seemed. He was bleeding from his neck, still, from the random vampire that tackled him. He was lucky that was all they wanted. He was lucky he wasn’t dead.
He pushed himself up, feeling light headed and weak, looking around. Things seemed relatively quiet, apart from the pelting rain and occasional thunder. He couldn’t see much. But he need to rest somewhere relatively safe. God, his head hurt... He leaned against a tree, stumbling, feeling sick. He’d lost a lot of blood this time. He couldn’t tell what time of day it was and looking at his watch he saw it was blinking. He took it off, hands shaking, and put it inside his bag, adjusting the strap so it wouldn’t touch his neck.
There was a house up ahead. One he remembered, but hadn’t been to in months, hardly welcomed anymore. If the rest of the island’s supernaturals were to go on, Stitches would be in terrible form, no doubt. Aleksey would be... well, would he give into the wolf? Or resist and just be in an awful mood? Was it worth the trouble?
Daisy couldn’t believe she had actually done it. She was going to get a tattoo. What would her Mama think? There were other members of their coven who had them, mostly men and some of the other woman who had been branded a little ‘wild’. But not the Lynch girls. They were young and innocent, good girls. Well..Mama wasn’t here now, and Daisy wasn’t about to turn down a free tattoo.
The witch headed down the street to Midnight Ink after her shift ended. She had her uniform of a deep violet and black corset on under her pink sundress, and in her haste to not be late, hadn’t bothered washing off her heavy makeup or brushing out her curled hair. It was just midnight when she rushed into the shop, feeling a little like a rebellious Cinderella. “Mister Stitches? It’s Daisy!” she called, looking around in awe.
[ ✉ → Stitches ] I mean, I hadn’t thought about getting a non completed warding tattoo but I’ve only got so much skin that I want to put art on you know?
[ ✉ → Stitches ] Could you like pretty them up without distorting the wards? Idk idk I’ll pick up the kit for now while I debate. And I wanted to take advantage of that free tattoo for October deal you got going on. When do you have an opening?
Of course we couldn’t do one simple thing without some kind of bullshit. Stitches sighed, taking a drag off his cigarette and watching the zombified shells of the slaves wander around the room, offering their services to everyone they came across, or those who sought them out. The fear couldn’t be tamped down, somewhere inside all of them there was still an awareness afraid of this place, and Sam hated that that excited something dark inside his chest. While the other masters were embracing the carnal, Stitches’ mind was pressing for the carnivorous- Sink teeth into something and make a meal of the terror swimming in their heads.
The lightest touch of fingers at his shoulder drew his attention away from his own restraint, black bleeding into the whites of his eyes as he cleared his throat and looked up. “Mh. Not a good time, dollface.” He insisted, sharp tooth worrying the ring in his lip. “Slave or master, it’s probably a good idea for you to step back. I chose a bad day to come to work hungry.”
“I’m sorry,” Dhani spoke quietly. He always managed to catch Stitches on particularly bad days. Or Dhani just happened to bring out the worse in Stitches. Probably the latter. He took a deep breath, but powered through, kneeling again, like he should next to Stitches. Next to, not infront of. If Master Stitches chose to walk away and leave Dhani unworthy, it would be perfectly sound and deserving.
But Dhani wasn’t fearful. Just nervous. The anger and outrage and weariness held for this place was gone, entirely. He looked tired, he was tired, sleepless nights at Warren’s. It was difficult sleeping naked in a cage. Bruises from Warren’s hands were left on his body, wearing only boxers and boat shoes and the collar with the thorn motif Warren had chosen.
“Master,” Dhani took a deep breath, getting everything out before he could be stopped or stop himself, “please let me do something to please you. I can be a good slave, I--” It would be useless to promise. Dhani had broken promises before. “Let me prove to you I can be. Or punish me if you see fit. I deserve that. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, so I won’t insult you with requesting it. I just want to be of use. I want to be good. I want to be worth something...”
“Will the circle, be unbroken, by and by, by and by? Is a better home a’waiting in the sky, in the sky?” The sunset was something Sam had always made a point to enjoy, the reds and purples blending with soft blues and harsh oranges an array of colors that he’d never quite get used to seeing in the way he saw them here- for all its monstrosities, this place had enough awareness to at the very least, look pretty. So here he sat, guitar across his lap and brown hair tied back in a short ponytail, gaze settled over the shoreline where he sat cross-legged and smoking, plucking the tune to a slow song, voice following old, familiar words and patterns as he took that briefest moment of respite from this place for himself, no concern for others, worry that something would go bad if given enough time, just Samuel, his guitar and-
“You know, if you’re going to stand back there and listen to me play, it’s at least courteous of you to tip, darling.” He informed, suddenly aware of an observer who had been there for a time, craning his head back slightly. “Lovely evening, isn’t it? Rare that we have one that’s not… punctuated by some sort of madness.”
Jody smiled a little, walking forward to sit next to Stitches, if the man was looking for company, which he seemed agreeable to. He brushed his hands free of sand and adjusted his sunglasses. Better night vision because of his colorblindness meant a harsher view of the sun and darker sunglasses. Not to mention something as simple as shielding his eyes against the sun used to mentally take him straight back to leaving the Krieg’s basement for the first time in almost three years. Not that they gave much care for his vision impairment anyway. Green and blue looked the same, white and yellow looked the same, red and orange and purple most of the time all looked the same to Jody and for some reason they just thought he was being obstinate? They ended up doing far worse to him, but just that level of failing to listen to a child...
Jody wouldn’t truly figure out he was colorblind until he was almost 17. The same people that he considered real family actually listened to him. He had hoped to impart the same care and kindness and helpfulness here, even a little. Maybe he couldn’t do enough. Maybe the Island was so heavy, so mad, whatever he could do would hardly be enough.
Raul was gone. Hadn’t that proved something? He put in the application to rent Aspen Blackthorne’s old place anyway. Maybe a change of scenery would work, the gardens to take care of might help. He could see the change more easily with plants than people.
“I suppose it can make us appreciate the calmer waters all the more... And sorry, I don’t have any cash on me. But you do have a great voice.”
Walking into Midnight Ink Juniper felt slightly nervous, though in all honesty that was just silly. She was only there to do what most people had done by the time they were ten let alone nineteen- even if she was eternally nineteen- but getting her ears pierced was not as big a deal as she was making it. Holding a pair of earrings, Sam had told her to bring her own pair after all, she walked up to the front desk. “Hey,” she smiled. “Think you can fit me in?” she asked, holding up the earrings she’d bought, a pair of simple white gold studs.
Tenanye and Stitches gives Dhani a talking to and Stitches manages to convince Dhani... and break him.
@keynvor @inkstitches
[Editted for relevance to Dhani’s plot]
Dhani shook his head at Qhuinn's offered cupcake, not looking very hungry at all, though he was starting to look thin. He didn't seem to respond one way or the other to Qhuinn's news. And didn't say anything else at all ot it, turning to look at the others in the room, as if listening in for other conversation.
Qhuinn/Abbi: Qhuinn laughed softly when Jason grabbed her wrist, her eyes searching his face when he got serious. "I'll be fine" she assured him, slipping her wrist out of his grip so that their fingers laced. "They have to eat, right? So who says that it can't be cupcakes?" she reasoned in a whisper.
Dhani: "Because we've barely eaten and we'll get fucking sick, Qhuinn...." Dhani sighed, shaking his head before putting his head in his hands.
Tenanye: "There's a phrase Dhani, about looking at a gift horse in the mouth, or wolf in this case. I thought you might mayhaps know it considering you work in the library." She scoffed. "Well if he doesn't want it I wont let it go to waste Qhuinn."
Qhuinn/Abbi: Qhuinn stretched onto her tiptoes and pressed a small kiss to Jason's forehead, continuing to whisper. "I have to do something..you know that.." She looked over her shoulder when Dhani and Anye spoke, sighing a bit. "No..he's right Anye. I should have brought more snack stuff like I had earlier. I'm sorry.."
Tenanye: "No." Anye said firmly, the first flickers of actual anger in her expression. "That's fucking bullshit, just because he's throwing himself a pity party for one doesn't give him the goddamn right to lash out at you."
Dhani: "I'm sorry, Q." Dhani said with a sigh and then took a deep breath, looking to Anye, "Thanks, Ten." He shook his head.
Tenanye: "No, don't fucking thank me for reminding you to be a decent human being fucking christ man. So what things are shitty, get over it. You're still breathing aren't you? You still have people that care for you right-" SHe glanced at Jace, the glare almost fiery. "No he needs ot hear it because everyone else keeps pussyfooting around his feelings. Grow the fuck up kid. You act like a spoiled brat oh Woe is me. I'm sick of it, sick of listening to it, sick of watching you inflict it on other people."
Qhuinn/Abbi: Qhuinn twisted at her ring, giving a small shudder. "No..please don't fight guys. It's my fault, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any drama. I just..wanted to do something nice.." Qhuinn gently pulled her hand from Jason's and went over to close the box of sweets, chestnut hair covering her flaming cheeks as she ducked her head.
Dhani: "In the three months, come visit me chained up in the backyard like a fucking dog, Ten. I'll need a new dose of cheering up." Dhani said, annoyed with her but his voice was tight. He burying his face in his arms before he fell apart. Not here.
Tenanye: "No, see, see this is what I mean. He makes everyone else feel bad because he feels bad, inflicting misery like a fucking fog of woe. Don't apologize for being thoughtful." She tugged at the chains so hard the nails in the floor whined as she whirled around to stare at Dhani as best she could. "SO fucking what. My fucking husband used to chain me up outside too, left me next to his starving hunting dogs in a little cage, beat me senseles, hurt me in ways that you couldn't even possibly imagine, but do you see me whining about it? Whatever you've been through kid I've been through worse."
Jace: Well, talk about shit hitting the fan. Jason returned the hard stare, noticing Qhuinn's reaction, and just feeling the whole air around them drastically change as the other two spit words to one another. "Guys, breathe..." he groaned, feeling his stomach pretty much drop at what Tenanye said. Guess now wasn't the time to ask the bazillion questions popping up in his head. "This has just come at such bad timin' for everyone."
Dhani: "Great. You win. Congratulations." Dhani spoke loud enough to be heard, but he couldn't be angry. Not when he felt so miserable and she was making it worse. He shouldn't have said anything to Qhuinn. Or anything at all, he was starting to think. After hearing about Dougal and Qhuinn going off together, Dougal never mentioning that to him, he knew he shouldn't have said anything. He was always resentful of people going off on trips. Like it was nothing.
Tenanye: Anye rolled her eyes. "I'd have more success getting blood from a fucking stone." She grumbled as she turned back and sat herself down on the floor, not giving a flying fuck about decorum right now. She was done. A tiny fiery ball of condensed anger.
Dhani: Dhani cleared his throat, wiping at his face, hugging his knees to his chest. He took another deep breath, "What exactly are you trying to get out of me, Anye? I'm not... nine hundred fucking years old. I'm twenty... fuck, twenty five. You know I keep getting told about fucking perspective and the acceptable levels of violence because supernaturals are allowed to forget humans are weaker and we shouldn't fucking anger them when they're supposed to be our friends... So fuck it, I'm not as strong as you. What the fuck do you want from me?"
Tenanye: "I want you to think about what you're doing to the people around you, you selfish bastard." Anye spat. "Qhuinn did something nice not just for you, but for all of us and you spat it back in her face. How long before people stop being nice because you keep being a selfish prick? How many of your so called friends are you going to push away, are going to hurt because of your own downward spiral because you don't stop to think. I fucking feel sorry for Daisy, having to put up with your whiny ass. It's not about being strong, it's about how you're an emotional void, you just suck everything in and spit back selfish self deprecating bullshit. Go see a fucking therapist and stop lashing out at people because one day you'll find yourself alone becuase you drove them all away."
Alexis: Alexis sighed at the conflict. She felt like she was back in a group home. She looked over at Jace as he looked at her and she simply shrugged. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. As loyal as she was, she was on high alert right now and it seemed better not to get involved.
Dhani: "Jesus and I tried being friends with you." Dhani worked his jaw, exhaling and wiping tears from his face. "You have.. zero fucking compassion. I have no idea how you can claim to go through so much horrible shit and have not a goddamn speck of empathy for anyone else. I'm selfish? I'm not the one over here telling someone else in chains what a fucking piece of shit they are."
Tenanye: "I never called you a piece of shit, I called you selfish, there is a difference." She straightened up again, standing, and though she wasn't very tall there was an imposing fierceness to the way she stood. "You tried to be my friend? Right after you basically couldn't wait for me to be put in my place right? After you slut shamed me? After you called me a bitch? Why would I be friends with you? Why?" She let out a sharp laugh. "I have compassion, I have compassion for Qhuinn, who you just seem to treat like an emotional punching bag whenever it takes your fancy."
Dhani: "I apologized for that, Anye. I told you I fucked up, I was drunk, alright, and I was sorry. I am sorry." Dhani stressed, shaking and looking a little desperate. He sniffled and wiped at his face, "You don't know the first fucking thing about me... Just... fucking save it." Dhani curled in on himself again, his knees to his chest and covering his head with his arms.
Jace: He looked at Tenanye in a way that said, 'that's enough already' and looked over at the other people joining them, debating whether to offer anything else. "Anyone want water or somethin'..?"
Tenanye: Anye huffed, raising a brow at Jace. "Please." She said, dropping the subject because a master told her too and that was the only reason why.
Dhani: "Please, sir," Dhani said tightly, not looking up.
Stitches: "Oh well would you look at that, I followed the sounds and scent of conflict, and found the ballroom. I am not shocked, but I am impressed that you're involved this time, Anye." Sam observed as he walked into the room, laughing softly under his breath before turning to glance at Alexis and moving to crouch beside her. "And I've been asked to inform you that Alek wanted to pay you a visit, but he's got something going on in the library with a manuscript and a sorting system I will never understand. He insists he'll make it up to you later." He chuckled, lowering himself further to her eye level. "But I can't help but notice you're in quite a state- anything I can do to help?"
Jace: Jace sighed soundly, not bothering to correct Dhani over calling him sir and getting up to get a bunch of cold, fresh water bottles, which he then handed over..leaving Sam and Alexis for now. "Here.."
Dhani: "Fuck," Dhani muttered, hearing Stitches. He held himself tighter, giving a gasping sob before hearing Jace near him. But he didn't move. Just tried to stop crying.
Tenanye: Anye took the bottle with a small nod and a smile that was attempting to be pleasant but was still rather pissed. "Thank you." She said as she took a small sip.
Atticus: “Dhani, it’s okay...” he said quietly, once a guard was done inspecting him. “It’ll be okay...”
Jace: Jace summoned a smile for Anye and squatted down next to Dhani, not forcing the bottle on him for now. "Hey, come on, man.." he whispered, stroking at the male's hair.. "It's just a few more hours of this.."
Dhani: "Stop." Dhani moved his own hand through his hair, gently pushing Jace's out of the way. "Please, just don't..."
Kylie: Kylie was sitting down on the ground, looking at everyone chained up. She wished everyone would be out of there. She moved a stand of her hair behind her ear and sighed quietly.
Jace: The professor sighed soundly, complying with Dhani's wish but staying exactly where he was.."I'm sorry.."
Tenanye: Anye remained silent, occasionally sipping her water and breaking off pieces of cupcake that Qhuinn had gave her. After a moment she looked at Kylie. "Would you like some?" She asked, sliding the cupcake across.
Kylie: Kylie looked over to Tenanye and gave her a soft smile, “Thank you.” She said before taking the piece of cupcake and ate it.
Dhani: "For what?" Dhani gasped, loosing his battle with not crying. His still kept his head covered, "For-- me being such a fucking mess? I can't handle anything..."
Jace: "No. This is too much for anybody." He shot back, firm in the way he talked before softening just a little bit. "I just didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable...I can leave if you want, but know it's okay. You haven't lost anyone tonight..""
Stitches: "It's probably easier to list what I'm not able to work in. I'm the island's tattoo artist and animation teacher, so that's two very different mediums right there. I worked for Disney for a long time, so hand-animating was where I learned to work in moving images, but I got my start with pen and paper, nearly three-hundred something years ago." He laughed, shaking his head. "I'm terribly old, it's honestly rather rude of me to wander around looking like I'm hardly 30." He confessed, then nodded slowly. "The anticipation is almost worse than the fallout, I get it. And you've clearly made an impression on the old wolf if he seems anything but grumpy and ready to take a nap." He joked, smiling slightly. "I kid, I kid. We do... try to be a respite around here. obviously that doesn't work too often in these sorts of situations."
Kylie: Kylie looked at Dhani, biting on her lowerlip. She hated to see her friends like that. She reached out to grab his hand but want able to reach it, “Dhani-bear, look at me-“ she said softly.
Tenanye: Anye offered her the water bottle next but said nothing when Kylie started talking to Dhani.
Dhani: "No," Dhani whined slightly, "No, I'm sorry... Right, this is what she means..." Dhani gasped again, "Kylie, please don't. Please, not now..."
Kylie: Kylie frowned at Dhani’s reaction, she just wanted to try to make him feel better. The blonde looked at Tenanye, and smiled as she saw the water bottle, “you’re so sweet, but it’s yours. You should keep it.”
Jace: Jace paused and gave another look at Dhani before raising up to his feet and tracing his steps back..figuring he needed the space right now.
Kylie: Kylie rested he back against the wall and sighed softly. “I’m so exhausted.”
Stitches: "Well I should still tread carefully, Anye, lest I earn your ire." He smirked, shaking an escaping tangle of dark hair back into place. "I would also be a horrible friend if I hadn't come with something to cheer you up." He reasoned, reaching into the pocket of a coat and handing over a small bottle of glitter and a larger container of what certainly looked to be multicolored crystals. "Of course, I can't give you clothes, but I think we both know you're just as happy for something sparkly and a snack. Though I see you have a cupcake already, so perhaps I can just keep the bag of gummy bears I brought along for myself...."
Kylie: “I wish they would treat us right.” Kylie sighed. “Most of them do but things like this id horrible.”
Dhani: "That's unlikely to happen. Treating us like... people." Dhani sniffled, taking a deep breath and finally lifting his head, pushing his hair back from his face. He wiped his tears away. "I'm sorry I... pushed you away, Kylie. I didn't mean it. I just... I didn't want to prove Tenanye's point."
Stitches: "Something that the largest part of us can't help, you know." Sam pointed out, nodding cordially to Anye as he stepped away. "And I would think Anye had a point if you're so against proving it correct." He reasoned, reaching into his pockets to light a cigarette and settling down nearby.
Kylie: “Prove what point?” Kylie frowned and wrapped her arms around her legs. “I just wanted to try to change your mind or something.” She told him.
Dhani: "Whatever you say, sir." Dhani spoke, not turning his head to Stitches. Dhani shook his head to Kylie, wiping at his face again. "You're a good friend, Kylie. Don't worry about it. Or me. Okay? I'm just... over emotional, right?"
Alexis: Alexis looked over at Dhani and sighed, she didn't like seeing him like this. "We are all on edge right now. You're okay," she said gently.
Atticus: ”Dhani, you’ll be okay,” he frowned. “It’s okay to freak out... I don’t know why most of us haven’t.”
Kylie: “Okay.” Kylie rested the back of her head against the wall and closed her eyes.”
Stitches: "Oh come now." Sam tutted, folding his legs up beneath him. "Are you going to treat me like I'm some big scary master now? Simply because I don't agree with you? From my memory, I'm not the master who tried to flay you alive, that's the reaper you're so keen on treating like your best friend. Everyone is suffering, Mr. Lyman, all of your contemporaries. You have simply chosen to open the flood gates and drag everyone else in with you."
Dhani: Dhani took a slow breath, obviously unsettled every time Stitches spoke to him or was anywhere near him. "Yes, sir..."
Atticus: “Hey, he’s allowed to be upset,” he defended. “It gets hard and scary for us.”
Stitches: "My irritation with you has never been anything beyond my distaste for your treatment of others, and to see you have learned nothing from your exchanges with me, and remain a problem is more than a little infuriating." Sam grunted. "I am a kind man, Mr. Lyman, to earn my ire you have to be of a stock that is similar to the very people standing at the hems of this room, who put you here in the first place. But you don't see that, do you?" A pause, to glance at Atticus. "He is allowed to be upset. But his pain does not weigh any more than that of anyone else here- and he certainly seems to think so."
Atticus: “Everybody goes through things differently,” he said. “That doesn’t mean how he feels is below or above how I do.”
Dhani: Dhani took a slow deep breath, but crumbled again, burying his face in his hands for a moment. "I was upset because Aleksey promised to claim me and then disappeared for three months and I--" Dhani sobbed, gasping for breath. "Something happened, Sam, okay and I was fucking... miserable and scared and I thought he was gone and then he backs out and I'm terrified and I feel like I'm worth nothing and you threaten to kill me because for some fucking reason he wants to protect me and you want me dead because I was ...just fucking upset. I never felt more scared and alone and fucking... worthless like I did when you fucking told me it was always my fault. I believe you, okay? I can't do anything right, I know that. Everything here has proved it, nothing matters whatever I do it doesn't matter..." Dhani cried so heavy he could barely breath.
Stitches: "Oh Boo hoo, a man has a suicidal break, and you're upset he's not around to cater to your fucking feelings?" Sam snarled, eyes narrowing slightly. "You don't know a damn thing about what happened. You claim to care so much about Aleksey and you still cling to the fact he didn't claim you? After you treated him like he owed you something? After you made scene after scene after scene about merely daring to be involved with people who aren't you? I was there when he woke up in the middle of the night, for three fucking months I had to watch and wait for him to try and pull himself out of the dark- and you still think what happened to you is the worst part of it all? Are you so goddamn self-absorbed that you can't imagine a world where someone else is suffering? Ooooh no, this, this here, all of this, everyone chained down and hurt is because we want you to feel bad, you got it buddy! Cracked the fucking code. You're not worthless, and I don't want you dead. But I want you to take a step back and acknowledge that you may not have superpowers, or a position here where I should be sniveling at your feet and begging forgiveness- but you're a bully, Mr. Lyman. And you're so hell-bent on being the only suffering party that you will never see that."
Dhani: "What?" Dhani looked up at Sam, finally, after months of being unable to even look his way he looked him in the eyes, horrified, tears still streaming down his face. "How-- How was I to know that? How could I have known that!" Dhani had to stop himself from yelling, terrified and guilty and self loathing strangling him again. "You held me by my neck and told me you would kill me if I went near Aleksey again. In that.. form you told me that. And no one tried to stop you... I had a crush on him. That was it. I told you before, I apologized to you and him in that letter... Rafael was dying and I couldn't have what you two had and I can't-- I wanted us to be friends... I just-- How much do I have to apologize? What else do you want me to do, Sam? Please... I was caught up in myself, I just... I couldn't-- I couldn't tell him what happened. I can't..." Dhani gasped for breath shutting his eyes for a moment. "I don't want you to hate me anymore, Sam, please... I'm so tired of being so scared all the time..."
Stitches: "And I am tired of tasting it." Sam growled, shadowy tendrils snaking out from beneath his feet and starting to encompass the ballroom, writhing and twitching as Sam stepped closer. "You cower and piss yourself like a fucking child, and I am forced to stomach the bitter taste of your fucking cowardice. Your innocent little 'crush' on the man I love contributed directly to his suffering. You stressed and worried a man to the point of harming himself, because of what you thought he owed you. I held you by the neck and told you I would kill you, yes, but it would stand to reason that if I had wanted you dead, I would have done so already." He closed the space between himself and Dhani, lifting a chair in a nest of tendrils and slamming it roughly to the floor before seating himself in it. "We are all suffering, we are all in pain, something terrible happening to you does not make you the epicenter of the fucking world. I see the things people fear, and in this very room your suffering is breadcrumbs compared to these people." Spidery thin fingers caught Dhani's jaw, anger hot in dark red eyes. "And were I a crueler, more vicious man, I would cash in all my tickets on you, and truly truly give you some reasons to fear me. I do not want to be your friend. I do not befriend those who abuse the kindness of others."
Dhani: "No, Sam, please--" Dhani backed up a little, but it wouldn't do any good. He wouldn't get far. He jumped at the sound of the chair, tears streaming hot and fast down his face, shutting his eyes tightly as Stitches held his face. "I'm sorry-- Please, Sam, I'm sorry I'm sorry I didn't mean for any of this please... please I'm so sorry... I'm sorry."
Stitches: "But you're not sorry. Not genuinely." Sam grunted, nails digging in briefly before he let go, the shadows across the room vanishing in one brief second. "You're sorry I'm calling you on it. You're sorry I'm showing your ass to all the people here after the administration showed your ass to them literally. You're not sorry, because you'll do it again, and again, to another unfortunate master, or another slave who doesn't know better." He shrugged, then paused, laughing softly. "You know, part of me is thankful Master Elliot cut off my arm during that storm. Because I know what he put you through was easily a thousand times worse than anything I could have done. And truly, a part of me wishes that he had added you to the tapestry of dead people on that tent in the courtyard." He snapped, sneer contorting his features. "You are as bad as the monsters who put you here. As the men and women who see you suffer and laugh amongst themselves. You may not raise your hands to others- but you manipulate and contort good people into something they are not for your own agenda- and that is the most monstrous thing I've seen done here."
Dhani: "No, Sam..." Dhani gasped, sobbing again. "I'm sorry... I am.. I'm not-- I don't-- Please...." Dhani couldn't speak, shaking, he fell back, covering his face with his arms, weeping bitterly, still scared, but not nearly as much as he hated the words Stitches told him, hated that he might actually believe him.
Stitches: Sam's face split into a wide smile- and then a wider one- and then one that overtook his whole face, ripping his cheeks down the middle and exposing hundreds of razor sharp teeth. "Please what? Hold my tongue? Stop talking?" He stroked dhani's hair back in a mocking act of comfort, fingers grabbing the human by the chains and hauling him up roughly. "Stop telling you the truth? That you're worse than any man here who rents for 'punishment?' who calls an act of cruelty the proper treatment of someone lesser than them? I could do something similar, you know. If I thought it would prove a point." He stepped away, shrugging slightly. "But I know it won't. You'll think I'm doing this out of some vendetta, and cry wolf to people who you think care, who know that this behavior is not something I often entertain. Face it. I am cruel only in your eyes because I speak to something you don't want to admit. That you are a bully. A monster. And slave or not- that will never change."
Dhani: "No..." Dhani moaned, hiccuping for breath, "I'm... I'm not... Please, I'm not... I don't want to be... I just... I want..." Dhani gasped , gritting his teeth, refusing to open his eyes. "I want to go home, please... Please, let me go... go home. I can't be here. I can't do this, please... Please let me go... I'm sorry..." Dhani whimpered, sobbing so hard he started to cough, "I don't know what to do... I'm sorry, please..."
Stitches: "Pitiful piece of shit." Sam snarled, stepping back roughly. "Cry harder about it, I'm sure someone will feel sorry for you, eventually." With that, he seemed to center himself again, maw sealing back into something more human and eyes lightening once more. "But soon you'll run out of friends, and you'll have the only fate befitting of you. Being entirely, utterly, alone."
Dhani: "I'm sorry... No, please, I'm sorry... I'll leave him alone. I'll quit... I don't know what else I can do... Sam..." Dhani sobbed, "Please, forgive me, please... I'm sorry, god, I'm sorry... please... I don't want to be that... I don't--" Dhani gasped, "I don't want to be anything, please..."
Mercy: "Oh good, Mr. Clean the Genie is here, real excited about that fact." Mercy grunted as he walked through the doors to the ballroom, wings heavy and tucked against his back and torso ripped open, ribcage and the inner-workings exposed, the plants within shifting and tangling amongst themselves. "Dhani's being a sniveling mess, the tattoo artist is twitchy, and everyone else is putting off a distinct sensation of fear, Boy, did I pick a great time to decide to leave work!" He muttered, lighting the end of a cigarette and taking a lengthy drag.
Stitches: "It's not about Alek." Sam scoffed. "It's about the way you treat everyone, not just Aleksey." He sighed, shaking his head. "And the fact you don't get that is more telling than anything else about you. You are so convinced of your victimhood that you would sooner call me cruel than accept that you need to change something about yourself."
Dhani: "I don't mean to... please, please believe me..." Dhani was too scared, still to look at Stitches, he clutched his hands, litterally begging. "I try to be a good friend an--and a good person, I do, please... please believe me... What should I do? What can I do? I tried... I tried to be a good slave but I don't-- I don't know what they want... I'm sorry, Sam, I'm sorry I hurt you... I don't want to hurt people, I'm sorry..." Dhani hid his face again. "What's wrong with me? What's-- If I can't see what I'm doing, what's wrong with me?"
Stitches: "What's wrong with you is that you don't fucking listen. clearly." Sam grunted. "I just told you. you're a bully. you think your pain is the only pain with merit, the only pain that matters. you think you're suffering alone and putting your expectations on others to fix you. It's nobody's job to fix you except for yours."
Dhani: "I'll listen," Dhani gasped, "Please, believe me, Sam, I'll try... I'll be good, I promise, please..." Dhani took a deep gasp, trying desperately to stop his cryng, hearing Mercy complain about him. Someone else he did not want to anger. "I'm sorry, sir, please... I'll be better..."
Stitches: "I. Just. Told you." Sam repeated. "Take a few fuckin' seconds to breathe and accept that you're not the goddamn center of the universe and it's not my job to tell you how to fix yourself. I just told you what you've done. Why people don't want to be around you, and you just cried and insisted you were sorry so I wouldn't be mean to you anymore."
Dhani: "No, please, Sam, I'm--" Dhani sat up, opening his eyes, stopping himself from apologizing again. He was trembling, pushed himself up to sit cross legged and put his face in his hands. "I'm ...I'll work on it, sir... I should... I want to apologize to Aleksey, sir, can I? Please?" Dhani's voice shook, gasping slightly as he fought to stop his tears.
Stitches: "That's not my decision to make. it's his." Sam pointed out. "I am not his keeper. He is his own man."
Dhani: "Right, I'm sorry, I just... I didn't--" Dhani took a short breath, "I don't want to mess anything up... But... I probably will. I just... I want you to know I am going to be better. I'll change. I don't... I don't want to be like that."
Stitches: "Forgive me if I don't take your word on it." Sam muttered, lighting a cigarette and taking a drag before checking his watch. "I should be going in any case. Alek will be expecting me and I don't care to be here when the clash of egos begins." He reasoned, turning resolutely on his heel and leaving the ballroom with little more than a cold nod in acknowledgement of Dhani.
